SpruceHill

Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen

Pioneer Woman has launched a new recipe site called Tasty Kitchen. It launched this week, and when I heard about it I was really excited. When you become a member it allows you to post your own recipes on the site to share with other cooks. The recipes are rated and people can make comments and recommendations on your recipes. Over the last few days I have added several recipes to my profile. Today When Miss H went to check the site out this is what popped up.

 

Yup that's me on Pioneer Woman's new site, with my picture and my recipe! I was so excited I felt like I needed to run around the house screaming deliriously, clapping my hands and jumping up and down. It's so sad I am such a nerd. Anyway go on over and check out all the really awesome recipes. I am planning on adding a few more of mine in the next few days.

Oh and I forgot to mention you can print out the recipes in different sizes to put in your own recipe file. Isn't that just fabulous?

I know I have been posting a lot of recipes lately, but I have this rather large garden and I have a whole kitchen counter full of vegetables just waiting to be cooked. Screaming "Please cook me and make me into something delicious!" So here is another recipe.

Tzatziki

2 whole Cucumbers

1 container (small) Sour Cream

1 container (small) Greek Yogurt

1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

1 bunch(es) Fresh Dill Weed

1 clove Diced Garlic

1 dash(es) Salt To Taste

Grate two cucumbers, make sure to squeeze the excess liquid out of shredded cucumber. Add sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, diced garlic, chopped fresh dill, and salt to taste. Toss together until cucumbers are mixed well with the rest of the ingredients. Serve as a dip, condiment or side dish!

This is such a summery dish. We eat it with everything. It is great as a sauce for meat or poultry or even tossed into a salad or used as a dip for vegetables. Thank goodness I have 5,000 cucumbers!

Disclaimer: This recipe was given to me by my little brother who shares my love of food and cooking. I did change it a bit, he did not give me any amounts or measurements.

 

Full Buckets and Full Bellies

After lunch today we all piled into the car, buckets in hand.

 

To A pick your own blueberries farm. We go to the same farm every year. As we stood there picking our berries I remembered all the years we have picked there before, many times while pushing a stroller.

 

I put the girls to work right away instructing them not to eat too many while they picked.

 

 

 

They didn't listen. They never listen.

 

 

We picked a lot of berries.

 

We also took an extra bucket for freshly picked peaches.

 

It did not take long to fill the bucket up.

 

And our stomachs. They really should have weighed the girls before and after, to better know how much to charge us.

 

I made a cobbler when I got home. It filled the whole house with the scent of freshly cooked berries. I can't keep their little fingers out of it.

 

Afterwords I washed the berries and set them out to dry for freezing. There is nothing like a fresh cobbler in February!

 

Blueberry cobbler

About 1 quart of fresh blueberries

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 cup of flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Place a generous amount of berries in the bottom of a shallow greased baking dish. No need to add anything to them, trust me. Cream butter and sugar and then mix in the egg. Mix the dry ingredients together and then add to the mixture. Spoon the mixture to cover the berries and sprinkle with turbinado sugar or regular if that is what you have. Bake for 30-35 min. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or you can even pour cream over the top if you have it in the fridge no one will know!

Enjoy!

A Year Ago Today

A Year ago today I had my last chemo treatment. I sat in the chemo chair for the last time, allowing poison to pulse through my veins. I was sick for the last time. No more achy bones and gagging for me! My hair started to grow back with in a week and a half. I started the last part of my cancer journey, and for me the hardest. The hardest part for me was after my treatment was over and I was just set adrift on my own. Having a hard time with my life after the fallout was swept away. It is amazing to me that I am here today. I feel very blessed that I got my second chance. When I was diagnosed like many others I was unsure of my future. I am very thankful for the days I have had since then and will be thankful for all the days I have here after.

For all you woman out there make sure you do your monthly breast self exam. I just may save your life! It saved mine.

                                        

Crossed Posted on Mothers With Cancer

All the buzz

  

There is a lot of buzzing going on here on Spruce Hill.

 

The bees are very pollen drunk. Allowing me to get pictures I cold not normally get.

 

I love watching them at work.

 

Their legs almost dripping with pollen!

 

Giving us the gift of more flowers to come.

 

  

Big E is off at 4-H camp for five days. It is a bit quiet around here, the girls both told me before lunch that they miss her already. In the last few weeks we have been soaking up the sun. Swimming in the pool that we finally got up and running. Little E is having a ball swimming and has finally become confident enough in the pool to not need her swimmies. I am working on my tan that I was not able to get last year because of my chemotherapy. I am enjoying every moment of all the summer fun!

The Taste of Summer

 

Today I am posting my quick pickles recipe. I need to give credit were credit is due, to my SIL Mary. This is her recipe and it is a favorite in our house. These pickles do not last long in our house and they even get eaten warm, before they get a chance to chill.

The ingredients

3 nice sized cucumbers sliced thin

1 small onion sliced thin

1 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 cup of water

1/2 cup sugar

dill and salt to taste

 

With all of the fresh veggies available during the summer this is an inexpensive and yummy addition to any meal. If you do not have your own fresh cucumbers in your own garden go out and buy local!

Slice your cucumbers and onions into a bowl. I like my pickles thin but slice them the way you like them, it's all about you.

 

While you are slicing, in a pan on the stove mix vinegar, water and sugar. Heat until the mixture reaches a slow boil.

 

 

Add salt and dill to taste, I use fresh dill when I can but, dried dill works too. Poor liquid mixture over the sliced cucumber, onions, salt and dill. Chill in the fridge in a covered bowl. They will keep  in the fridge for a good amount of time.

Enjoy!

My girls like to eat these on a cracker with a bit of cream cheese on it. I tried it yesterday and it is yummy! We have a bowl on the table at just about every meal. It is a good way to get the kids to eat fresh veggies.